About Denmark

     Kingdom of Denmark (Danish: Kongeriget Danmark (help·info), IPA: [ˈd̥æ(n)mɑɡ̊], (archaic:) IPA: [ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊] and ) is the southernmost and territorially the smallest of the five Nordic countries if its offshore territories are excluded, and the largest if they are included. Denmark is one of the Scandinavian countries. The mainland is located north of its only land neighbour, Germany, southwest of Sweden, and south of Norway. Denmark also encompasses two off-shore territories, the Faroe IslandsGreenland, granted home rule in 1948 and 1979, respectively. The national capital is Copenhagen.

     Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea. The country consists of a large peninsula, Jutland, which borders northern Germany, plus a large number of islands, most notably Zealand, Funen, Vendsyssel-Thy, Lolland, Falster and Bornholm as well as hundreds of minor islands often referred to as the Danish Archipelago. Denmark has historically controlled the approach to the Baltic Sea, and these waters are also known as the Danish straits.

     Denmark is a constitutional monarchy and has been a member of the European Union since joining the European Economic Community in 1973. The Faroe Islands and Greenland remain outside the EU, including the EU customs zone.

     Originally relying on farming, fishing and seafaring and without major natural resources, Denmark experienced rapid industrialization and urbanization in the 19th and early 20th century. These trends enabled the establishment of a Scandinavian Model "welfare state" of public services, starting with the 1933 social reforms known as the Kanslergade Agreement. Denmark was occupied by Germany during World War II and, ending a tradition of political neutrality in 1949, became one of the founding members of NATO.In 2006 a survey found Denmark to be the happiest place in the world, based on standards of health, welfare, and education. In 2007 the country's capital is ranked the second most liveable city in the world by Monocle magazine and ranked as the happiest nation in the world.

About Varde

     Varde is a municipality (Danish, kommune) in Region Syddanmark on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. Its mayor is Kaj Nielsen, a member of the Venstre (Liberal Party) political party. The main town and site of its municipal council is the town of Varde.

     On January 1, 2007 Varde municipality was, due to Kommunalreformen ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007), merged with existing Blaabjerg, Blåvandshuk, Helle, and Ølgod municipalities to form a new Varde municipality.